Click-through rate benchmarks by query type 2026
CTR benchmarks for branded vs non-branded search in 2026 come down to one rule: branded queries earn a far higher click-through rate than non-branded queries at the same position, and blending the two hides what is actually happening on your site. This page gives you the query-type split, how to measure your own numbers, and what to fix first.
- Branded queries out-click non-branded queries at the same position in 2026. Never judge CTR on a blended number.
- Split Google Search Console data into branded, product, category and informational query types before setting any CTR target.
- Your own 2026 baseline beats any published average. Use published figures only as a sanity check.
- For an AU K-beauty retailer, the biggest CTR gap is usually brand-plus-product searches like Medicube or Anua.
Why this matters
A blended CTR figure is the most misleading number in Search Console. If 40% of your clicks come from people typing your store name, your site-wide CTR looks healthy while your category and guide pages quietly underperform.
For an Australian beauty retailer like AU Beauty Bazaar, the split matters more than for most. Shoppers search for the store, for the brand (Anua, Medicube, Beauty of Joseon), for the ingredient, and for the problem. Each behaves differently.
The short answer
Branded search has the highest CTR of any query type. Non-branded search has the lowest and the widest spread, because it depends on position, SERP features and how many ads and shopping units sit above you.
No single published average fits every site. Public CTR studies differ by dataset, device and year, so this page does not quote one as fact. Measure your own split and benchmark against yourself over time.
CTR benchmark table by query type
The table ranks query types by expected CTR relative to your site-wide average. Use it to know where to look first, then fill the right-hand column with your own Search Console numbers.
| Query type | Example (AU beauty) | Expected CTR vs site average | Main driver | Your 2026 number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Store-branded | aubeautybazaar | Highest | Navigational intent, position 1 | Fill from GSC |
| Store + comparison | au beauty bazaar vs adore beauty | High | Brand recognition plus intent to buy | Fill from GSC |
| Product-brand + product | medicube pdrn serum | Above average | Shoppers know what they want | Fill from GSC |
| Product-brand + AU modifier | anua toner australia | Above average | Local intent, fewer competing results | Fill from GSC |
| Category / commercial | korean sunscreen australia | Average to below | Ads, shopping units and marketplaces above you | Fill from GSC |
| Informational / how-to | how long does korean skincare take to work | Below average | AI answers and featured snippets absorb clicks | Fill from GSC |
The ranking is the benchmark. Store-branded leads, informational trails, and the middle three depend on your position and SERP layout.
High and low commentary
Store-branded queries lead the table and informational queries trail it. That gap is the sentence to remember: branded CTR is a loyalty metric, non-branded CTR is a snippet and ranking metric.
The fastest wins sit in the middle rows. A product-brand query such as Medicube or Beauty of Joseon often ranks you on page one against marketplaces and the brand's own store. A better title and a clear price-free value line lifts CTR without any ranking change.
Methodology and limits
The query-type ordering reflects how Google Search Console reports clicks and impressions: CTR is clicks divided by impressions for the query set, over the period you pick. Search Console keeps 16 months of data, so compare the same 28-day window year over year to avoid seasonality, such as the end-of-financial-year sales in Australia.
Two limits apply. Search Console anonymises some queries, so branded and non-branded totals will not add up to your site total. And average position blends desktop and mobile, so the same query can show a very different CTR by device.
How to split branded from non-branded in Search Console
- Open the Performance report and set the date range to the last 28 days.
- Add a query filter with a custom regex that matches your store name and its common misspellings.
- Export the matched queries as your branded set.
- Apply the same filter as an exclusion to get the non-branded set.
- Repeat with product-brand names (Anua, Medicube, Beauty of Joseon) to create a third bucket, product-brand queries.
Keep the product-brand bucket separate. These are branded for the manufacturer but non-branded for you, and they behave like neither group.
How to use these benchmarks
- Fix the middle first. Rewrite titles on pages that rank on page one for product-brand queries but sit below your site average CTR.
- Protect branded CTR. If store-branded CTR drops, check for a competitor ad on your name or a missing sitelinks block before touching content.
- Judge informational pages on impressions and assisted sales, not CTR. AI answers take clicks from how-to queries, so a low CTR there is expected in 2026.
- Set targets per bucket. One site-wide CTR goal pushes teams toward branded queries because they are easy to win.
What this looks like for a K-beauty store
Comparison and alternatives content sits between branded and non-branded. A query like a store-versus-store search carries brand intent, so it should sit in the high CTR band. The same applies to guides built around a single hero product, such as the best Medicube PDRN products in Australia, which draws product-brand searchers who already know what they want.
Broad guides such as best Korean sunscreens in Australia compete in the category band, where marketplaces and ads take the top of the page. Expect a lower CTR there and win it through title clarity and a specific angle.
FAQ
What is a good CTR for branded search in 2026?
Branded CTR should be your highest bucket, since the searcher is looking for you by name. If it is not clearly above your non-branded CTR, check for competitor ads or a missing top result.
What is a good CTR for non-branded search?
It depends on position and SERP layout, so there is no single figure. Benchmark each non-branded page against your own 28-day baseline and against pages at the same average position.
Why is my overall CTR dropping while rankings hold?
The usual cause is more impressions from informational queries, where AI answers and snippets absorb clicks. Split by query type to confirm before changing anything.
Are product-brand searches like Medicube branded or non-branded?
Branded for the manufacturer, non-branded for a retailer. Track them as a separate bucket because their CTR sits between the two.
How long should I measure before acting on CTR data?
Use at least 28 days, and compare against the same window a year earlier where you have it. Search Console holds 16 months of history.
Does position or title matter more for CTR?
Position sets the ceiling and the title decides how much of it you capture. Fix titles first when a page already ranks on page one.
One last thing
The quickest audit in 2026 is a single filter: list your top 20 pages by impressions, then mark which of their top queries are branded. If most of your best CTR comes from branded queries, your SEO is converting existing demand, not creating new demand.